"The Closet"

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A self-congratulatory project team is about to launch a global data center. Although no one on the team has been with company for more than two years, they have been very busy brainstorming, advocating for resources, gathering RFPs, planning, and implementing. It is now time to celebrate their breakthrough solution to the company’s chronic business problem. Hooray for them! And yet, the Navigator cannot help but feel that the celebrants are doomed to a dark and creepy downfall. Why? Because a short walk down a nearby hallway containing archives of company history would have revealed that a version of this approach was already tried and failed several years ago at a great loss to the company.

If you are in charge of providing a solution that will impact the organization, whether you are a project manager, change agent, or lead a business unit, continue reading to stay clear of hosting this tragically common stupid party.

"The Door"

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You have reached a conclusion that you are in a no-win job. Your suspicions began soon after you took a new position that had such great promise. At first you tried to ignore your predecessor’s meticulous but half-finished project plans that were jammed in the top right drawer of your office. Vaguely disturbing was the use of red crayon on post-it notes that fell behind the bookcase. You felt queasy when you discovered a half-eaten sandwich and a lone shoe in your office coat closet. Who leaves with only one shoe? You conclude that something monstrous has consumed those before you, but what? If you are seeking hard-won wisdom by those who have concluded that they are in a no-win situation and still managed to squeeze every ounce of opportunity out of it, then tighten your seat belts and read on.